27 February 2008
According to the latest Human Development Report, Gambia's human development index (HDI) beat several other countries in Africa.
Gambia's HDI stands at the 155th position out of 177 countries worldwide, outpacing countries such as Senegal, Eritrea and Sierra Leone.
Life expectancy in the Gambia averages 58.8 years compared to 40.5 in Zambia, and while 50.1 per cent of the population of the Gambia is entitled to an education, only 22.7 per cent of the population of Niger has access to education.
Every year since 1990, the Human Development Report has published this human development index which takes into account more criteria than a simple calculation of GDP per capita would.
This year's HDI refers to 2005 and gives a wide definition of well-being, measuring the three essential dimensions of human development, these being: life expectancy, adult literacy and school enrolment, and people's standard of living.
Finally, the report also shows that Gambia's carbon dioxide emissions stand among the lowest as the country is indeed part of the Kyoto Protocol.
